Texas State is set to offer G.J. Kinne a large contract extension, keeping him as head coach and making him the highest-paid in the Sun Belt Conference. According to a report by KVUE, the university's officials have nodded yes to the terms during a board meeting, and the deal, averaging $2 million a season until 2031, is expected to close out soon.
Since his arrival in 2023, Coach Kinne has steered the Bobcats through what can only be seen as a gridiron renaissance. Under his guidance, the team not only achieved its inaugural bowl victory but has also become bowl-eligible for consecutive years. With a 14-9 record, including a 6-4 start to 2024, Texas State views Kinne as a valuable asset deserving of a seven-year extension, as reported by KVUE.
According to Pete Thamel of ESPN, the details of Kinne and the university's agreement are in the final stages of negotiation. This new deal follows on the heels of a previous extension in 2023, which saw Kinne's salary just top the million-dollar mark. As KSAT reports, Kinne is set to become the highest-paid head coach in the conference, pending the formal announcement of the new extension.
Financially speaking, Kinne's coaching prowess has certainly paid off. On the current books, he's already the second-highest earner in the conference, pulling in $1,002,000 this season, as detailed by USA Today’s College Football Head Coaches Salary database. This paradigm shift in pay standings puts Kinne ahead of Coastal Carolina's Tim Beck, who made $1,050,000 this year, information courtesy of a KSAT report.
Kinne initially gained recognition at the University of the Incarnate Word, guiding the team to a 12-1 regular season and a Southland Conference title. Texas State quickly brought him on board, and if the reports of his financial package are any indication, they’re betting that his success is only beginning to unfold.
